Railroad tie and fastener for use therewith



- Feb. 18, 1930. J. R. BILLUPS RAILROAD TIE ANDFASTENER FOR USE THEREWITH Filed Feb. 6, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l Feb. 18, 1930. J. R. BILLUPS RAILROAD TIE AND FASTENER FOR USE THEREWITH 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 6, 1929 WWW/777% 4%. 7%?

Patented Feb. 18, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT: OFFICE JAMES R. BILLUPS, OF SHREVEPORT, LOUISIANA, 'ASS IGNOB OF ONE-HALF TO WIL- LIAM B. MCCORMICK, OF SHREVEPORT, LOUISIANA RAILROAD TIE AND FASTENER FOR USE THEREWITH.

Application filed. February 6, 1929. Serial No. 337,923.

This invention relates to railroad ties and fasteners for use in connection therewith, the primary object being to providea concrete tie so constructed as to be free to flex under the weight of rolling stock travelling thereover.

Another object is to provide a concrete tie so constructed as to prevent creeping of the tie either transversely or longitudinally after being properly positioned on the roadbed. i

A further object is to provide a concrete tie which will not tilt transversely and affords the maximum supporting area for the track rails, thereby reducing materially the number of ties required in the track construction.

A still further object is to provide novel means for fastening rails to the tie, said means being simple and efficient and adapted for use under different conditions and situations.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention'r'esides in the combination and arrangement of parts and'in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within'the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred forms of the invention have been shown.

Insaid drawings,

, v Figure 1 is atop plan view of a concrete tie constructed in accordance with the present invention and having rails fastened thereto, a portion of one of the rails being broken away.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the structure illustrated in Figure 1, the rails being shown in section.

Figure 3 is a section on, line 3-3, Figure 2. Figure 4 is a section on line H, Figure 1.

Figure 5 is an end elevation of the tie, a portion of a rail being shown thereon.

Figure 6 is a plan View, on a reduced scale, of a modified form of concrete tie. v

Figure 7 is a perspective view of one form of rail fastener for use with the tie.

Figure '8 is a perspective view of another form of fastening plate especially adapted for use when making repairs.

. Figure 9 is a perspective View of another tie plate for use in fasteningrails to a tie at switches.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference, 1 and 2 designate two oppositely disposed tie sections. formed of concrete Each section is preferably beveled at its sides as indicated at 3 and provided with oppositely extending arms 4 so located as to constitute supports for track rails R When said rails are placed proper distances apart.

During the formation of the sections 1 and 2 of the tie, one or more flexible-metal members. preferably of steel cable, are embedded in the sections and" extend longitudinally thereof. These reinforcing cables or the like have been indicated at 5 and while two of them have beenshown embedded in the concrete sections of thetie, it is to be understood that one or more of the memberscan be used. As shown in Figure 3 the ends of the cables are'untwisted and the strands 6 are extended into the arms 4 and longitudinally and transversely within the end portions of the sections 1 and 2 so that the cables are thus securely anchored in thetie.

The primary purpose of the cable or'cables -5 is toprovide a flexible connection between the sections 1 and 2. Said cables can bemade of a metal that will not corrodeor, if preferred, thatportion of the'cable bridging-the space between the sections 1 and 2 can be housed in a casing 7 of lead or other suitable tie sections to sag under the weight of a load,

" the two'sections'thus moving relative to each other.

7 While the ties are generally constructed with straight arms 4 as shown in Figure 1, it maybe foundadvantageous, along curved stretches of track, to use ties'ha-vingcurved arms 9 as shown in Figure 6, these arms followingthecurvature of the rails. It might beadd'e'd that in allforrns of tie, any suitable" reinforcing means 10 of coarse Inesh metal fabric or of metal rods canbe ernbedded in each section of the tie.

Formed in the bottomisurfaceof the tie be-ineath those points where the rails are to be 7 v supported are recesses 11 and in each recess is V seated a'p1ate l2adapted to receive the'lower '3 end portions of ,bolts13. Re'cesses li are formed inthe upper surfaceofthe tie 'ati those points wherethe'frails are to be supported an'd Oppositely the tiefplatezand are-positioned where they of; which carry nuts "l8vthat bear upon the ears. The outer flange'lfi of, each plate has Han-integral rail brace 19. V

.I Ties suchas herein described are adapted to be usedgin lieu of. the ordinary wooden ties; Because'ofthearms 4 fewerties of this improvedfornican be used in a given length oftrackxthan are required where the usual wooden ties are employed. When theties I are properlyset in the road-bed the-arms 4 Y rwill'ip'revent' themfroin creeping longitudina-lly and 'thesearms have the further function of holding theties against lateral tilting.

1When theyoriginal installation is being made, 1 tie plateslsuch as shown in Figures 1', 2, and 4 andin detailinlFigureT are fastened'to the tiesand therails:areinsertedlongitudinally into engagement: with :the flanges of these plates; The attachment of the plates to the j 1 ties canbe made eitherbeforeor after said plates have been assembled "with the rails.

Afterthe parts have thus been 3 fastened together, "the rails, will of'course be held atthe proper distancesapart and itibecoines unnecessary'to-use special rail fasteningmeanssuch as comrnonlyiernployedu v A V T r I IWhenf it is found necessaryto "make re pairs ;by' removing one of the tie platesand substituting another, .said 1 plate after being cut or broken away wfrorn the railengaged therebyand'detached from the tie, can bereplaced ,by a: tie plate :20? such .aszillustrated in Figure 8, This plate h'asiionly one rail engaging flange121 and one ear'22; It'has ribs 23 [forengaging'one base flange ofthe rail R ;a ndvan aperturei-2et forthe reception of one of thei-bolts, This tie plate' is adapted tobe slipped into position between the tie and the rail so 'thatthe base flanges will rest thereon ibe'tween and ribs 23 Theusual' bolts l3'can be employ d f fastening is t plate to the tie but the nut 18 can directly 7 Q I engage one of the base flanges of the rail or a suitable rail engaging clip, as will be obvious. Where rails diverge,-:as at a'switch, a tie plate of the type illustrated in Figure 9 can be used. This plate 25 has rail engaging flanges 26 and oppositely extending. ears,

The flanges divergeso as properly "to engage the. diverging rails and a tapered block 28 can be formed onthe plate between the flanges for fitting snugly between the webs of the divergingirails. Y 1 l By constructing a tie asherein described thesanie' can flex readily about the point of i connection between-the sections 'thereofiwhen ever the endportions o'f the tiefare subjected to a'=load. lThus' a ltie h'avingfmany of the resilient characteristics of a wooden tie. is

produced 'without the use of wood or any the-action'of moisture and wear. iWhat is claimed is:

21. 'A'railroad tie including-separate inforced concrete sections, i a metallic cable embedded in the sections and extending longisiniilarsubstancesxlikelyfto deteriorate-fronr tudinallyathereof, said cable constituting the sole connection between thesections.

crete se' ct'ionseach having'oppositely' extending arms constltutlng I'flllr supports, sa1d sections being positioned endt0 end, and a cable embedded in and extending longitudinally of thesections, saidcable constituting the sole connection between the sections and saidnsections being adapted to swingsrelative'to "each other about their pointof connection;

2. A. railroad tieincluding separate con- 3. A railroad 'tieincluding reinforced con crete sections arranged'end-to end, each section having oppositely. extending rail sup-l porting arms, a cable embeddedin "said sec- .tions and constitutingfthe sole connection,

therebetween, saidsections beingadapted to swing relative ,to each other, about the point of connection, the ends of the cable being untwistedto provide strands extendinginto the arms andintotheends ofthe sections. v

, 4. A railroad tie including reinforced concrete sections arranged end to end,a' twisted cable embeddedinsaid-sections and constitut ing the sole connection therebetween, said sections being adapted tofswing; relative to each other about the pointrof connection, the ends of the cable being unt wisted to provide tionsto anchor the cable. 1

sections being adapted to swing relative to each ot-heraboutthe point of connection, the ends of the cable-beinguntwisted to provide strands extending into the ends of the sec- 12o strands extendingdntothe-ends ofthe v sec- 5.v A railroad as including reinforced as, a crete sections .arranged'end to end, a" twisted cable embedded in said sections'and constitut- 1125,. ing 1 the sole connection fthereb.etween,' said a tions to anchor the cable, and a tubular metal protecting sheathing extending into the sections and bridging the space therebetween, said sheathing housing that portion of the 5 cable between the sections.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature. JAMES R. BILLUPS. 

